Multiplying a dog’s age by 7 is a common method used to know how old a dog is based on human years. This, however, is an inaccurate method. Now, scientists have developed a new molecular tool, which, according to them, can tell a more accurate picture of a dog’s age in human years. The tool, which they describe as an “epigenetic clock”, drills into the rate of molecular changes in the DNA.
The work was carried out by scientists at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine, who worked with genome experts to examine blood samples taken from 105 Labrador retrievers, ranging in age from a few weeks to 16 years old.
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Epigenetics has emerged as a valuable tool for tracking the physiological age of humans, and the UCSD team set out to explore its potential in doing the same for canines. The analysis of the 105 Labradors enabled them to tease out patterns of methylation change that revealed a truer picture of their [physiological] age.
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One limitation of the research, as the scientists note, is that it was focused on one breed of dog, something they plan to expand on through further work. They hope that the formula could become a valuable tool for veterinarians as a way of offering improved diagnostics for dogs and treatment plans.
More details about this study over at New Atlas.
(Image Credit: Chiemsee2016/ Pixabay)
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neat
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